Might Have Been
by Happiness's Deceit
Summary: Nine drabbles in which life is different but Naruto and Sasuke run into each other every time. Gen. No Spoilers.


_Naruto does not belong to me. I only own the stories below._

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**Might Have Been**

_.nine alternate lives._

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**1. Superheroes**

"Spandex is normal enough, but what kind of superhero wears _orange?_" Sasuke pretended he wasn't amused.

Naruto broke his pose to flip him off. "What's wrong with orange? That other guy—Spideman, or whatever—he wears red and blue." He glared at the lounging male. "Besides, it's not like I'm wearing something boring like _black_."

Sasuke sighed. "Black is classic, Naruto. _Classic_."

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**2. Campers**

They could have gotten home hours ago and slept in their own beds that night. They weren't even tired. But a few hours ago Naruto had noticed Sasuke lagging behind more and more, and then was when he knew.

There had been rumors that Sasuke's older brother had disappeared in these woods.

It was a creepy thought, but those rumors had been accompanied by the truth that a young child Sasuke had spent hours searching the forest for the last member of his family. He would spend nights, sometimes, in the forest. People in the town remarked that he was looking to be stolen away as well.

So if Naruto was willing to sleep in the woods that night, it wasn't because Sasuke looked more at home with the trees than in the town.

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**3. Samurai**

Naruto's head is forced downward and he freezes with the touch of a blade to his neck; but despite it all, he can not stop thinking of the betrayed red eyes of his dearest friend. He closes his eyes in acceptance, in remembrance, when he hears Sasuke's voice for the first time since that night.

"Let him go. He is absolved of his vow."

The blade is removed, and though the people around him are too well-trained to voice their doubts, their hesitance shows all. Naruto raises his head when he knows it is safe, and Sasuke is gone; along with the grandness, the pride, his execution, and the strength of the court, the prince has left. He has been freed and banished in one step, but he is alive.

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**4. Detective**

Naruto is half-way through his spiel when he realizes that none of the police officers are looking at him. Their eyes are all directed at the younger Uchiha brother, watching as he pieces the evidence together faster than Naruto can speak.

And Sasuke's eyes bleed red when he realizes who had killed his family, whether from genetics or banked tears, Naruto couldn't say.

So when Naruto finishes, his finger pointing at Itachi, he feels shame for the first time in his career.

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**5. School**

It's like clockwork, everyday. Sasuke glances at his wristwatch and walks a little faster to his locker.

Then Sasuke pulls out his physics notebook, closes his locker, and takes a step back as Naruto rushes through the space he has just exited with a _thanks, Sasuke_ over his shoulder.

Sasuke shakes his head fondly and leaves for his next class.

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**6. Medical**

He is starting as an internist at the most renowned hospital on the _continent_, and Naruto is understandably excited. Unfortunately, in his exuberance, he ignores the warnings that the pretty aide is giving him.

Everybody knows that the head surgeon is the adored younger brother of Director Uchiha Itachi.

Everybody, that is, except Naruto.

To his credit, it only takes sixteen minutes for him to figure out. In fact, he figures out only moments after he punches Sasuke that he will probably lose his job over this altercation. He is escorted into Itachi's office, even, and is being lectured when the door is opened noisily.

Uchiha Sasuke stomps in, points at Naruto, and (to the obvious amusement of his brother) announces, "I want him on my team."

While Naruto is still in shock, Itachi agrees, "I thought you would." And then the man pulls out a contract and the brothers are debating the best way to give him as little pay as possible for his new position.

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**7. Space**

Naruto looks at the Earth again and nudges Sasuke again, "Look at that! I think I can see our hometown!"

Sasuke is significantly less excited the seventh time he is jarred out of sleep. He looks down and comments, "You know that you have first shift tomorrow, right?" He glances at the bright digital screen just across the room. "Sorry, make that in five hours."

Naruto waves away his comment in his excitement. "I'll just nap while you're doing your shift. Look at that, Sasuke! I can't wait to rub this in Sakura's face!"

It is either genuine affection or sleep deprivation that makes Sasuke laugh, but he will always argue the latter.

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**8. Office **

Naruto hates working in the tiny cubicles at Uchiha Corp; they suffocate him and make him feel so much smaller than he really is. But that is the way things are—the higher-ups get the posh offices and he is stuck with the tiny cubicle. There's nothing he can really do about it.

He walks into one of the cleaner johns of the office one day, and runs into another worker he's never seen before. The man is clean-cut, with a suit tailored to fit and serious dark eyes.

His co-workers say that Naruto is a blabber-mouth; he won't deny it, and it is no less true in the restrooms.

When he returns to his cubicle ten minutes later, to the raunchy joking of his friends, Naruto realizes that he had just ranted to the man in the bathroom about the cubicles. And the man had listened, being attentive and even asking relevant questions.

He also realizes that he hadn't actually gone to the bathroom.

It is two weeks later that Naruto is given a large surprise. The cubicles have been replaced by large desks. There are no claustrophobic walls, and he can actually see all the way across the room.

His co-workers chortle when he tells them about the man in the bathroom.

They don't quiet until he gives them the physical description of the man, and one of them yelps, "_You ranted at the boss's son_ _in the bathroom!?_"

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**9. Bounty Hunter**

A man in black stands just as Naruto enters, and if that doesn't set off his nerves, nothing will. He doesn't move like he's armed, but that doesn't mean that he's harmless. Naruto watches the man out of the corner of his eye and follows when he leaves.

Three streets down, Naruto is relatively sure that the person he's following is none other than the elusive Uchiha Itachi. The body type is as listed, and it only takes him another moment to pull other information on the man onto his data screen.

Then they enter a less populated area; this is when most people run.

So when the criminal starts, Naruto has a head start and kicks out his legs before he realizes exactly how capable Naruto is. Naruto pins the struggling man to the floor and has his gun leveled between the criminal's eyes before he realizes, _crap, that's Uchiha Sasuke._

The hesitation is all that Sasuke needs to flip them over and slam Naruto's head ruthlessly into the pavement. He cracks his head hard enough to give Naruto a concussion and the blond can do little more than watch as the criminal slips out of sight. He will admit, later, that he is glad that Sasuke escaped; it is well known that Itachi is ruthless and efficient with those who hunt him, but even more so that Sasuke is, for lack of better term, _off-limits_.

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_Please comment if you have time. =)_


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